Bill > H4317

This bill authorizes the Massachusetts State Retirement Board to grant creditable service to 11 specific individuals who previously worked as federal firefighters at the Otis Air National Guard Base. Each person named in the bill (Dennis Ragazzini, Scott Chicoine, Schaun Dion, Eric Weston, Jason Orlowski, Thomas Stark, Joshua Child, Darren Begley, Bernard Devin, Kyle Davis, Kyle McHale, and Michael Ayotte) will be credited with a specific number of years of service ranging from 1.11 to 10 years, covering periods between 1986 and 2008. The bill requires that each individual pay back the retirement system the amount of money that would have been withheld from their regular compensation during those years, plus buyback interest, which can be paid in a lump sum or in installments as determined by the state board of retirement. This legislative action allows these former federal firefighters to have their previous service time counted towards their state employees' retirement system benefits, despite not having made retirement contributions during those years. The bill overrides existing state laws that might otherwise prevent such retroactive crediting of service time.

Budget and Finance, Labor and Employment

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4317